Glimpse of Your Love
by tradgicrose
Summary: A place to dump my one-shots. Chapter 3- Divorce, "He had no right to lay claim to her now, but it didn't stop him from trying. He'd known her curves well when they were together, his hands rummaged around her flesh trying to see if two years had changed it from the memory he clung to."
1. Chapter 1

"Ah, can I get something for the pain, maybe a kiss?" asked the man rolling on the ground in agony as he grabbed the girl's glowing green hand. His brown eyes locked onto her green ones, the chocolate orbs clouded with his stormy fears of the unknown beyond this life. He knew his wound was bad and still he managed to flirt with her.

"Sure, Sai," called the pink haired medic as she removed her hand from his tight grasp, made slick with blood, and continued to thread the man back together with her healing chakra.

A teenager with dark eyes, hair, and the palest skin came over and knelt down on the opposite side of the man from the girl trying to patch the moving subject back together. The stranger's ornamental armor was smeared with blood, and his thrashing wasn't helping the girl go any faster.

"Whoa, not who I meant!" yelled the injured soldier, dismay and disappointment in his deep voice.

"I'm told I'm a good kisser," Sai informed him, his words dry of any emotion.

"Sorry, not into guys, at all," the injured man apologized with quick waves of his hands, a new shocked expression on his face.

"Neither am I, but if it would distract you from the pain I am willing to help," explained the former Root member.

The pinkette did her best to hide her amusement but Sai's bluntness was breaking her composure. The young male ninja's offer of a kiss had done what she needed it to do. It had taken the man's focus off her and let her render the life threatening wound harmless quickly. With her job done, she grabbed the pack she had hastily discarded to help the injured man. She found a rag to clean her hands that were covered in blood. Carefully, she discarded the the newly red cloth and placed her pack over her shoulders, ready to chase after her other comrade.

"Let's hurry and catch up with Naruto," she commanded as the man got to his feet, checking his wounds in amazement.

"You're good, Pinky," he smiled as he shook the mop of brown hair out of his eyes.

She ignored the nickname and gave the persistent man a nod in recognition of his thanks. Sai was by her side ready to depart but before they could leap to the trees the man pulled the rosette to him. Her instinct was to punch him first and ask questions later but having just healed him, she schooled her reaction by setting her burning gaze on his hand that gripped her upper arm.

"Workmanship like this deserves a reward," he purred fingers brushing against her creamy cheek and his head leaning down to steal a kiss.

This man inching closer to her virgin lips was tall, dark and handsome. His eyes shone with a flare for life and his tongue dripped honey. Sakura was sure many girls out in the Land of Fire would find it a just reward, maybe even faint at the prospect of getting to lock lips with a man as good looking as this one. She, on the other hand, was far from impressed that it snuggled closer to annoyance and anger. Before she could stop the incoming kiss, she was separated from the man's grasp and pushed behind a muscled wall of black and orange.

"Did I miss a bandit?" growled her savior, as he lifted the man into the air by his armor.

"Put him down, Naruto," she sighed at his over protectiveness.

"I was just trying to thank her," growled the man a foot off the ground.

"You don't have to thank me, its my job to patch up idiots," commented the medic as she tapped Naruto's arm, encouraging him to put the man down.

She eyed the blond carefully as he set the high ranking solider down. Once the two males were a safe distance from each other, having a private glaring contest, the pink haired beauty experimentally punched the man who rescued her lips.

"Ouch! What was that for?" whined the assaulted boy as he rubbed the violated area.

"Sometimes I can't tell if you're a clone or not," admitted the medic, disgruntled to voice her inability to tell the difference.

"You could have just asked," replied the pouting boy.

"Where's the fun in that?" she winked playfully.

He didn't know what had got into his team medic but lately, she'd been a lot more flirty with him and more patient with Sai. Even though the original Team Seven wasn't back together going out on missions yet, Sasuke was still on house arrest until the council and Hokage figured out what to do with him, she had been like a different person. Naruto could only take into account that the Uchiha was the reason for her personality shift. He failed to factor in that war changed people, that she'd continued growing and maturing with her new responsibilities, and the plain fact that the people she surrounded herself with were rubbing off on her.

Her best friend, Ino, was the queen of flirts, flirted her way in and out of trouble faster than most people breathed. The master of medics, who taught Sakura all she knew, had a perverted side that she let run rampant when she had too much to drink, which was more often than not. Then there was her newest teammate, he had asked her to help him in the art of flirting and had given her several books on the subject so she could help him practice. Naruto himself would playfully tease her all the time, it use to get him a bruised cheek.

"We'd better get back to the mission," Sai reminded his teammates, adjusting his gear.

Naruto waited until Sakura was a safe distance from the soldier before he moved to follow her.

"What's your mission," inquired the man as he fixed this protective gear that didn't have a scratch on it except where he had been run through.

Sakura figured he was some kind of noble and his father bought his position in the military but she wasn't going to say anything about it. A man's pride was a dangerous thing to insult, they didn't always react rational when you jabbed it too hard with their flaws.

"We're meeting with the Royal," Sai began but was silenced by a massive hand over his mouth.

"Shut up," growled Naruto, not believing the former member of Root could be so giving with information.

The pale boy pushed the silencer away, "he's obviously part of the Royal Guard," was the explanation for his forth comeliness.

"I actually need to get back to the Royal Guard, if you guys could escort me, I'd be eternally grateful," smiled the man.

Naruto didn't like the idea of him tagging along and being close to the woman he loved after already trying to kiss her but his compassion was stronger than his jealousy. The woods they were traveling through were full of bandits, thieves, and other low lives. So they agreed to let him accompany them. Naruto noticed as they moved down the trail that the new comer positioned himself directly behind his female teammate. His other teammate stuck close to the side of their medic, while he stayed near the man who didn't belong to Team Seven.

Not long into the trek through the forest, the stranger struck up a conversation with the blond man, "so how do you get a woman like that to notice you?"

Naruto shrugged, if he knew the answer to that question, she'd already be his. A dangerous thought crossed his mind as he pondered telling the man she was in to broken men with big brother issues but he didn't want to make his friend sound like a freak. It might do the job of detouring the man, who's attention was riveted on her ass.

"There's got to be a way to bed her," pondered the dark brown haired man.

Before he could take another step, his blond companion had him off the ground and abruptly pinned to a tree. Naruto's displeasure was evident on his face, the words the man had dared to speak made his temper flair almost as fast as the girl he loves legendary temper.

"You don't bed a girl like Sakura. You love and respect her from a safe distance," growled the blue eyed dominate male.

"Whoa, easy, I didn't realize there was someone already trying to bed her," back tracked the newcomer, holding his hands out in a submissive position.

"I'm not trying to bed her," replied the possessive male, leaving it unsaid that he was trying to win her heart. He released his vice grip on the man, still eying him like he was a dangerous snake. The last thing he thought she needed was another man confusing her and he didn't want the competition. They got back on the trail and followed after the woman they were arguing about and the creepy pale boy.

"You're scared of her, aren't you?" came a teasing voice next to him as they walked along.

Naruto gave the guy a look like he was insane but in truth he was scared of her. Scared of what she could do to him with a glance. Frightened that if she smiled the right way, his legs would turn to mush. He was afraid that if he looked into her green eyes for too long he'd get lost in their ocean like depth. It stopped his heart when he thought of kissing her and it made him want to die seeing some else try.

While Naruto was deep in thought about the destructive power the pinkette had on him without even mentioning her ninja skills, the sun was starting to leave its place in the sky to allow her less luminous sister to stand guard over the land.

"While you two girls were braiding your hair, Sai and I found a camping spot," taunted the medic, drawing Naruto out of his thoughts.

Naruto gave her a sheepish grin as he walked passed her to go help their teammate with the campsite. She watched both men closely thinking she missed a cock fight on the trail but both seemed to have come out of it unharmed. Sai was setting up a small tent while Naruto went to find water, Sakura ventured off to find some fire wood. The odd man out sat near the boy who had offered to give him a kiss.

"It doesn't look like the Leaf is taking the protection of the prince seriously only sending three ninja to his aide," remarked the brown haired man.

"The Leaf takes this mission very seriously, and sent quality over quantity, two of the village best are here," replied the man busy with his project.

"So, you and that blond kid are the best, what does that make Pinky, support?" laughed the solider.

"In that context, I would be support," Sai clarified, now done with his first chore.

The pale boy started lining a pit with rocks for the fire. Busy with his task, but being a well trained ninja, he didn't fail to notice the young noble pondering his words.

"Those two really all that dangerous?" asked the brown haired man.

The dark haired ninja paused in his task to seriously consider the man's inquiry. His mind about the team he was forced upon had been changing since almost day one. He had a new found respect for the duo after the war.

"I would estimate they are the most dangerous duo I've ever met," he finally concluded. It wasn't just their abilities that made them so dangerous. It was there determination to protect each other that made them deadly.

It gave the man something to mull around in his mind. The Leaf had taken the prince's request for protection seriously, if what the young man said was true. He also began to wonder what made this pair so formidable. While the noble was busy speculation about the ninjas he found himself to be in the company of, the blond returned with plenty of water for the evening.

"That's a lot of water for just cooking," estimated the older male.

Naruto looked at him, noting how out of place he seemed with his pretty armor, fancy sword, and flower boy looks. He didn't feel the need to justify to this pampered prissy man how much water he brought back.

"Sakura likes to clean up before bed," noted Sai in his drab manner, hanging his friend out to dry.

A small blush paraded across whiskered cheeks thinking of the girl bathing herself and how he would like to lend her a helping hand. A crash nearby brought the pervert out of his lustful thoughts and back to the reality at hand. Sakura had dropped a large log by the fire pit to use as seating. She then dropped another to use as fuel for the fire. All the members of Team Seven continued in there rituals of preparing camp. Leaving one to watch the inner workings of the group from his new perch on the log.

The outsider was having a difficult time figuring out the dynamics of their relationships. He knew, without a doubt, the blond was in love with the rosette, but she seemed oblivious. While the dark haired boy seemed to notice the one sided love between the two, it did not seem to stop him from making crude remarks to either of them.

"Sakura, what would you do if I tried to kiss you?" Sai asked, he was puzzled at her delayed reaction to the noble's earlier advances.

"I'd punch you," she replied, snapping some branches for kindling before tossing them in the fire pit.

"What will you do if the prince tries to kiss you?" inquired the man.

Naruto was intently listening to the conversation with mixed emotions.

"Watch the log," instructed the girl before a fist infused with chakra shattered it to bits.

The newcomer gawked at the sight of such overwhelming strength from such a small person. Her teammates were unfazed by her display of power. Naruto lazily brushed off a few shards of wood that had landed on his jacket, while Sai was busy with a scroll and ink brush.

"You can't hit a prince," Sai pointed out matter-oh-factually, not looking up from his work.

"It's called an empty threat," she informed him with a sigh.

"So, when you tell me or Naruto to shut our mouth or you'll shut it for us, that is an empty threat?" questioned the boy with the fairest skin.

"No, because I can do that," grinned the medic dangerously, as she held up a glowing green hand.

Sai nodded in understanding putting his scroll and ink away, as a black scribble mouse ran off into the woods without notice, the noble was too busy trying to comprehend how the defenseless flower had turned into a monster in a flash. Once the fire was going everyone relaxed around it. Sakura sat on the log with the noble watching her teammates who made themselves comfortable on the ground across the fire. Naruto had put a pot of water on to boil. Reaching into her over sized green vest, she pulled out her storage scroll holding her food. With a heavy sigh she unlocked the ramen she had stored away for missions. On closer inspection she noticed they were not the ones she put in there.

"Naruto," she growled, accusing green eyes locked on to innocent baby blues, "did you switch my ramens?"

"I would never," he started but she raised her brows questioning his words before he even finished his sentence, "alright, but I'm tired of that flavor, its all I've had this week," he admitted with a sad puppy dog look. The impulsive boy had gone and spent too much money on her birthday present so his food money was tight. As to not starve and stretch his money, he had bought out all the ramen on sale, only one kind was left.

"How is that my problem? Give mine back," demanded the pinkette.

"Don't be greedy, Sakura, didn't you learn to share?" taunted the blond, a whiny tone made her grit her teeth.

"Its not greedy to want what's yours," bellowed the girl snapping to her feet, fists balled in aggravation.

The young man, with no ninja training, surprised the medic who had been focused on the food thief. His strong hands locked around her upper arms, his face in close proximity to her own.

"Then I will just have to make you mine so I'm not being greedy," he whispered, his intense chocolate orbs held a predatory glint.

"Is that a good pick up line?" Sai questioned, as he pulled out his notebook and pencil.

Sakura only managed a slow nod, Naruto was ready to break them apart when he noticed her hands moving in a familiar fashion.

"Remember the log," she warned, only to receive an infuriatingly cocky grin. He moved in for the kill, his baby soft lips moved to seal over her sun ravaged ones. He closed his eyes, expecting to meet soft pouting lips, he was stunned to be greeted with coarse, hard bark. His eyes flew open to see a log there instead of the girl he had ensnared. Looking around the campsite, he spotted her nestled between her boys looking smug. He had been confident she wouldn't strike him but he didn't understand how she had escaped his grasp. The stranger took his seat again, he was baffled, a woman had never refused his advances like this one.

"Classic," grinned the blond as he held out a fist to her. Without taking her eyes off the noble she bumped her smaller balled hand to the boy's.

"Isn't that technique taught in the academy?" questioned the former Root member.

"That's why its a classic, Sai," they both explained in annoyed tones.

The artist scribbled a few more things in his notebook before he snapped it shut. The medic took his dominate hand and began tracing nimble finger all over it. The other male didn't seem to mind her being so intimate with the strange boy. She then thumped Naruto with the back of her hand, he then handed her his hand, which she rejected in wanting his dominate hand. The poor boy had to move in an awkward angle to accommodate her demand.

"Its still hurting?" Naruto inquired, only sounding half interested in his own question.

"When I use it too much, but even a short battle leaves it tender," answered the boy with ink black hair.

"What's it been now, like a week," the bored blond continued the conversation.

Sai nodded his head, "makes it difficult to masturbate," he informed them.

"Not appropriate," Sakura shook her head disapprovingly while their other teammate about had a hernia from laughing so hard.

"I'm going to put that comment under guy talk instead of flirting techniques," comment the boy getting his hand worked on as he jotted it down in his notebook with his freehand.

"You write well with both hands," Sakura noted, a little jealous his handwriting was better with his left hand than hers with her right.

"I am good with both hands," agreed the confident artist.

"That's a better pick up line," grinned the sassy girl.

"It was a true statement with no innuendos meant by it," the confused Sai replied.

"That's what makes it a good line," Sakura laughed.

"If you are so good with both hands just use the other one to get your jollies off," commented Naruto as he laid next to the medic still comparing his hand to that of the injured boy.

"I do, I just prefer this hand," affirmed the fair skinned boy.

"Gross," groaned the young woman as she worked on the said hand.

"I wash," assured the young man.

"This is not a suitable conversation in front of a lady," the noble finally broke in, overcoming the shock of the conversation.

"If there was a lady here I wouldn't say these kind of things, this is guy talk," informed Sai with all seriousness.

"Am I just one of the boys now? Lucky me," huffed an annoyed maiden.

"You're as flat as a boy," retorted the serious pale boy.

Naruto chuckled, he was surprised Sakura hadn't killed either one of them yet. Either she had learned to let things go or she was desensitized by all the perverts on the team. He was still waiting for one of them to get hit into oblivion.

"I though ninja would be better mannered and speak more kindly of the fairer sex," scowled the nobleman.

Sai looked deep in thought before he answered, "we're in the field, on a mission, like death, I don't see gender out here, we all bleed and die the same."

His words hit a nerve with the other ninja, the Fourth Ninja War still fresh in their minds. Death hadn't cared about gender, age, experience, or anything. It claimed life after life with no prejudice or preference.

"I figured out what's wrong, do you want me to tell you or do you want me to just fix it?" questioned the medic, breaking the suffocating silence.

"Just fix it, I trust you," Sai answered with confidence, his dark eyes locked with her forest green. They winced once with pain as she unattached and reattached the tendon in his hand that had been done just a tad wrong.

The outsider looking in on the unusual habits of the trio had a new found respect for them. They had odd conversations, were slightly violent, and not an ounce of political correctness between them. Under all of that, there was a love and respect for each other that could only come from time and trust. He was beginning to realize he would never break into this tightly knit group. But that wasn't going to stop him from trying.

"Now Sai doesn't have to ask you for help getting him off," teased Naruto, trying to get her attention, even if it was negative.

"Who taught you to be so vulgar?" she snipped as she hit his arm.

He laughed and rubbed his arm, the violence against him had failed to even bruise him. She was loosing her touch.

"You know I was raised by a super pervert. For future reference, if you're injured and need help you can always call on me," winked the blond suggestively.

"I'll let Sai call on you too," she barked as a mad blush raged over her face like a forest fire.

"I'm a good teammate but he's on his own there, that offer is just for you," he grinned as he poked her in the side.

A hot glare set on him as he waited for her to slam any of her body parts into his vulnerable gut. Her elbow looked like it was in the best position for the job. An evil grin replaced her scowl, which scared him more than the angry look. Her sudden movement to stand startled him, in reflex he braced for impact.

"Come on then," she called down to him, motioning toward the tent.

His cocky grin vanished in an instant to be replaced by a look of pure confusion and horror.

"W-what?" he stuttered.

"Everyone keeps telling me to just sleep with you and get it out of our systems," she explained, in a down to business manner.

"I've heard several people say that," agreed their comrade.

"W-who?" Naruto couldn't get his stutter under control.

"Lots of people, lets go," the impatient rosette encouraged, she'd teach him to be so loose with his words.

"You-You're not injured," he protested as he scooted away from her.

Seeing his retreating form gave her confidence to take it to the next level. It took two steps before she was in range to crouch down and crawl over his well built frame. Her eyes took on a lustful look, part of it was due to her training as a ninja, the other part was she taken an interest in the blond. She wasn't going to proclaim her unyielding love for him, but she would admit she liked him, maybe more than a just a friend.

"Maybe its a hurt you can't see. Beside," she pulled on the black zipper holding jacket closed, hearing some of the teeth click in compliance to reveal his undershirt, "you shouldn't offer something unless you're willing to follow through," she purred as she leaned in close, hot breath caressing his outer ear.

The taunting grin she wore as she pulled away from him was infuriating and thrilling. By the swing in her step as she walked away, he could tell she thought she'd won this round. He watched in disbelief as his teammate held out a fist to her that she greeted with her own. A feral growl sounded deep in his throat. Turning to scold him for not following through on his word, she got caught up by the boy. In mere seconds, he pinned her tiny frame to him and was strutting towards the tent she had suggested to goad him.

"What were you saying?" he asked, the stutter gone and no fear in his eyes.

Instead of letting anger take hold of her she called his bluff. She let her legs wrap around him and she could feel the heat radiating from him.

"I said, lets go," she repeated, fingers slipping into surprisingly soft hair. She was being stubborn even though she was in way over her head. His hands found their grip on her outer thighs, trying to adjust the death grip they had around him from her nervousness.

There was a longing in her eyes that frightened him. His lips were dangerously close to hers, he didn't know what scared him more, that she wasn't backing down or that she hadn't sent him flying yet. He had been conditioned that whenever he invaded her space or did something else perverted, she struck him. Naruto stopped before they made it to the tent, waiting to see if she would come to her senses and free herself of him or if she would continue their dangerous game.

Before he got an answer to his pondering, she was reaching into her pack for her kunai. He released her after she sent one of them flying, then latched his fingers together for her foot to launch her in the direction she sent the weapon. Returning to the fireside, he noticed the ink user had three beast ready to follow after her if need be. Sakura soon returned dragging a poor boy by the ear. His face twisted with pain that was soon forgotten as soon as he laid eyes on the noble.

"My lord, thank heavens you are alright," came his melodic voice.

"Yes, no thanks to you. You will not speak another word till morning," growled the young noble.

This caused Sakura to raise an eyebrow at the snappy lord, "sounds like now is a good time for everyone to get some food before the grumpiness spreads," she remarked, thinking of her blond teammate, who was never a happy camper when hungry.

Her teammates brought their storage scrolls out to get their food. Naruto was thrilled to still have his stole goods. Sai had several kinds but the mischievous blond had taken Sakura's purely to irritate her. Seeing her glare at her packaged food, Sai silently bumped her and traded her for one of his. She smiled graciously at the boy before sticking her tongue out at Naruto.

"What kind did he give you?" inquired the nosy blond.

"Pork," she taunted, delighted to see he was jealous.

"Awe, and you had the vegetable kind, Sai trade me," whined the jealous one.

"Sorry, I gave our guests mine," apologized the artist.

After a few more grumbles they all quieted down and ate their food.

"Time for some sleep, young lord, you will take the tent," Sakura said, it was an order, not a suggestion.

Rather than tempt fate, he listened to the girl and drug along the poor boy. Once they were out of sight she let the huff of annoyance and the massive eye rolled out she had been holding since she healed the man. She set her sleeping bag by the fire and prepared to get some sleep.

"Sai, its your turn for first watch, I've got second, Naruto that leaves you third," she yawned, dipping a clean rag in the left over water to run over her face and arms. Scrubbing away the day's worth of sweat, dirt, and blood.

Naruto gave Sai a look, wordlessly saying he would take the medic's watch. Sai nodded in understanding, he didn't do it because she was a girl. He told himself it was because she was the medic and needed the most rest. If he allowed himself to think the truth, it would be because he loved her. His love for her was anything but romantic, he pictured her as his bossy, sometimes abusive, cousin or what it might be like to have a sister.

Streams of moonlight peaked through the massive trees as a noise woke the medic, kunai in hand she scanned the area to see the artist working on something in his sketch book by the small light of the fire.

"Is it my turn?" she questioned, grogginess still muddling her brain.

"No, go back to sleep," the boy with dark eyes ordered without lifting his attention from the page before him. His teammate nodded and drifted back to dreamland. The blond then rose from his sleeping bag to sit by the man absorbed in his work. "Its not your turn yet, either," he noted, working on the shading of his subject.

"Its fine, couldn't sleep," he looked at the page, it was a detailed sketch of his Sakura sleeping next to the fire, "she's beautiful," Naruto noted, his attention drawn to the page.

"She is unique," Sai affirmed, that was as close to a compliment about her looks as he got. He didn't find her looks attractive at first but when it came to their female teammate he learned it was best to keep his true opinions to himself.

"Its fine if you don't see it, her inner light that I see shining through, makes her my own personal star," mused the young sage. He watched her smaller form shiver as the wind picked up, caressing her back with its chilly fingers. He moved away from the artist to lay behind the woman, who captured his heart all those years ago and never returned it to him, using his own body to shield her from the cold.

"Well, we are both dead men in the morning for not waking her again, so I will tell you, I see it," Sai confessed as he shaded the lines around her sleeping eyes. He saw it, he didn't completely understand it, but there was something about her that made him want to be around her, to protect her. Something clawed at his heart every time he saw that fake smile, maybe it was because they were all broken in some way that drew them together. The girl whose heart was broken by love, the boy who was raised to have no emotion, and the boy who was branded a demon and outcast since birth. Life had forced them together but they had formed an unbreakable bond. Even the two with the rockiest of beginnings were now bound together by mutual respect.

"I think she'll wait until after the mission to kill us, you know she won't allow a black mark on her record with a failed mission," chuckled the blond as he let his fingers pull along her pink strands of hair.

"Naruto," she grumbled as she turned around and snuggled closer to his body, surprise took hold of the two males. She was still sleeping, much to the thankfulness of the said blond.

"Get some sleep, Sai, I've got watch now," smiled the giddy boy, holding the girl close.

Sai shook his head as he put his things back in his pack. Naruto was playing with fire, her temper may not be the bundle of explosives it once was but she still was a firecracker of emotion, and would burn him to bits when she woke.

As the sun started to break the night's grasp over the sky, Sakura stirred in his arms. Mentally preparing for the incoming punishment, Naruto didn't remove himself from her. Her green eyes opened and scanned their surrounding, which wasn't easy with a massive chest blocking her view, to see it was almost time for them to rise and continue on with their mission.

"You bastards," she growled, feeling the body she was snuggled up to tense. It crossed her mind to send him flying across the campsite but it just wasn't in her heart to do it. Besides, it would be more fun to keep him guessing, then snap at him right away. Her boys spoiled her, she was going to be in trouble when she was sent out on missions with others. Naruto just chuckled as she snuggled closer to his warmth. It was about time to break camp but she didn't feel like moving just yet, she was enjoying their exchange of body heat. Before she could fall back asleep, they sensed intruders headed their way.

Three ninja hid themselves from the untrained eyes. Four intruders stumbled into their camp, they were busy searching the area to pay attention to the danger that surrounded them. In a blink, they were captured with kunai to all their throats with the help of a shadow clone.

"Looking for us," Sakura purred in her captive's ear.

"No, we've been searching for," just then their guest, the noble, came out of his tent, "young prince," exclaimed the man in her clutches. All four men tried to go to their knees but the blades to their vulnerable jugulars stopped them.

"I know they are useless, but would you three release the captain of the Royal Guard and his subordinates," requested the prince.

Grudgingly, the ninjas let the soldiers go. As soon as they were freed, they all fell to their knees, bowing to the young prince. Silent curses ran through the minds of two of the ninja while one remained as calm as ever. The hot head blond released his clone, waiting for whatever came next, he had personally assaulted the prince at least twice, he lost count of how many times he thought about it. He stifled a laugh, his wild cherry blossom had turned down the chance to be kissed by a true prince charming.

"Seems you started your mission early, you just didn't know it," commented the prince to the ninjas but his eyes stayed focused on the rosette. He expected her attitude to change toward him, a satisfied smirk spread over his face thinking she would bend to his will, like every other girl.

"We were instructed to meet you outside the castle, it seems you came early," Sakura stated, returning her weapon to her pack.

"I got eager," smiled the prince.

"You got lucky," growled the pinkette.

"I get lucky a lot," came his cheeky response, making the girl want to smack the grin from his face.

"Well, what's done is done, let us continue to your destination, and then return you home," concluded Sai, keeping a level head.

"Our captain here will lead us back to the rest of the Royal Guard and then we shall continue on," ordered the young prince.

From there, they broke camp, reunited the prince with the escort he had been separated from during an attack from some ruthless bandits the day before and safely guided them to their destination. Unknown to the guard, eliminating several threats along the way.

Once in the safety of the town, they got the prince settled into the palace there. The team was about take their leave and secure the grounds when the prince was ready to test his theory on the girl who intrigued him.

"Sakura, do you have a moment?" he questioned innocently.

She nodded, sending both her boys a look that she would be fine and they should secure the area without her. Even though he motioned for her to come closer, she stayed near the door. She wasn't about to give him an inch, he was sure to take a mile.

"I have work to do," she commented, doing her best to sound bored by his tactics rather than intimidated.

"Is it so bad to spend time with me?" he questioned with a smirk.

"Did I say that?" she answered with a question of her own.

"I still have to thank you for saving my life," he noted, moving closer to her.

"I told you its my job to patch up idiots," the pink haired girl replied with no sign of a smile, she just wanted to do her job and go home. She didn't care for this man the way she did for any of her boys, even Sai held a greater portion of her heart than this flirt with his empty words.

He was surprised she still had the nerve to call him an idiot. Something in those green eyes spoke to him. She was torturing him and she didn't even know it. He moved in closer just to see what she would do. The image of the log shattering to sawdust replaying in his mind.

"I could save you from this life, you could be a princess," he smiled, stopping just in front of her.

Her brows furrowed in thought, she didn't need saving. This way of life wasn't forced on her, she chose it, and followed it with a passion. It wasn't easy but she loved her life. Before she could voice her thoughts something caught her eye. Her quick hand shot out and sent the prince to the ground with her over top of him. Blades impacted the door she was just standing in front of with dull thuds. She was moving after where the weapons had come from. Three missing ninja attacked her, they were good but they were no match for the student of the Fifth Hokage. Naruto and Sai showed up moments too late.

"What the hell were you two doing?" she snarled at them.

"Fighting off the others," the dark haired boy answered.

"Picking up your slack," came Naruto's snide remark.

"What was that?" she yelled as she grabbed his ear.

"Sakura, Sakura, Sakura, that hurts," whined the knucklehead.

"Seems it was a good thing you stayed behind," Sai noted looking at the weapons penetrating the walls.

"I'll be glad when this mission is over," sighed the girl, still holding the boy's ear in case he felt the need to voice something else stupid.

"You can come be my princess," their charge offered again.

Naruto froze and Sai listened intently to what their girl would say. It made him feel strange waiting for her to speak. He wanted her to hurry up and turn him down but at the same time he wanted her to stay quiet in the event she chose to become his wife. He didn't understand the conflicting emotions welling in him. Not knowing what face to make, he gave her his smile. It was best to get through difficult situations.

Finally she spoke, "sorry, they'd be lost without me."

"My sense of direction would still be in tact," Sai corrected, not understanding her meaning.

Sakura tried to stop the eye roll she felt coming on as soon as he opened his mouth but it got away from her.

"If you wanted to run off and marry some prince, I wouldn't stand in the way of your happiness," Naruto remarked, devoid of any emotion.

She shook her head in disappointment, neither male made an argument to keep her. Of course, they were stuck with her so she tried to shrug it off, but her legendary temper flared for a moment thinking the boys shouldn't allow some stupid, full of himself prince steal her away.

She pulled the ear she still had a tight hold on so his face was close to hers, "and if being with your dumb ass makes me happy?" she snapped.

"Ouch, then you better stay with me," he yelped back, wanting nothing more than for her to return his tender ear.

Her glacier cold glare set on the artist of the team as she shoved the hot head away from her.

"You best stay with me too, you're the best man for the job of keeping us in line," Sai teased but his heart felt lighter now that she voiced her need to stay with them on team seven.

The young prince did not understand them, here he had offered this amazing rare blossom everything a girl could want and she would rather live a terrifying life with her comrades who were all too happy to not stand in her way. Then a thought struck him.

"You love one of them," he realized out loud.

Another uncomfortable silence stretched out before the crowed. Sai was content with the genuine smile on her lips even if it was a small one. He shared it with her, he knew the truth. Naruto's nervous energy would not leave him to stand still. His hand found the way to the back of his neck to rub the short blond hairs and his legs shifted his weight from one back to the other.

"Yes I love them," the far away look that possessed her made the blond consider her to be lost in thought about their disturbed friend back home, "they may be obnoxious, rude, idiots, but I'd go to war with them any day. You, I'd leave home," she spoke clearly.

The noble figured it was a ninja compliment because he didn't completely understand the reference. By the smug looks on the boys face she just chose them and that life style over him and his.

"A ninja for life, I see," mused the brown haired man.

"Till the day I die," smiled the pink haired vixen, kunia sailing passed the prince into the eye socket of a man who appeared out of thin air behind the unsuspecting man. It made a sickening sound, causing the prince to cringe, looking behind to see the lifeless body on the floor sent shivers down his spine. Turning back to an empty room surprised him, he hadn't heard a sound. Taking two guards with him, by the time they arrived in the court yard the battle was over. The blond was on the ground with a wound.

"Idiot, I could have handled that," he heard the medic scold as he got closer.

"Oh, it hurts so bad, I need something for the pain, maybe a kiss?" teased the boy, an impish grin on his face.

"You heard that, did you?" she chuckled as she healed him.

"Sai and I got a good laugh after you went to sleep," he answered, relaxing under her gentle care.

"Well, here, for the pain," she breathed, as nimble fingers slipped into blond tresses, and pulled his face to hers, locking her virgin lips to his. His eyes wide with panic, she was done healing him, he was joking about the pain. He relaxed and put his hand behind her head and kissed her back with enthusiasm. Like everything he did, he did it with gusto.

The pale boy appeared by the prince, wiping blood from his short sword, while watching the scene unfold before them. The young lord had his answer, she was in love with one of them. She wasn't blind to the feelings of the loud, violent, overprotective, boy. She simply took it in strides, loving every moment of it. Their story didn't seem picturesque with all the blood and violence, death and life, but it was their story and he was humbled to have the pleasure of seeing one chapter of it with his own eyes. One day, he hoped he would find someone to write an equally interesting love story with.


	2. Chapter 2

**Student of the Moon**

The frustrated woman was tired of dropping hints like paper bombs on training days to the man sitting behind the plain large desk. Since the war ended and things had returned to almost normal around the Leaf, she had turned up her feminine charms and tried to show the Sixth Hokage of the Hidden in the Leaf that she was ready to be more than just friends. Her lame teammate had seemed to be oblivious to her rather aggressive advances.

"Hokage-sama," she smiled sweetly, trying to draw his attention from the report she had turned in.

"Sakura, you know better than that, call me like you always have," he ordered, not looking up from the work in his hands.

"Naruto, would you like to go out for drinks with me tonight?" she asked, leaning over his furniture, tracing a nimble finger over the smooth surface of the wood furniture. She was trying to take advantage of her bust that had finally filled out quite nicely.

"Sorry, I'm supper busy and Sasuke already asked me to join him with the other guys. Another time," he promised, still focusing on the written words before his eyes.

Something snapped deep within the pinkette. The object of her affection was ignoring her on a grand scale that she didn't think was even possible for him. Normally, he lit up when she walked in the room and pestered her for dates. Lately, he treated her like everyone else or sometimes even worse. He acted like she wasn't a friend to him, let alone alive.

"I guess I'll just go home," she concluded, defeat soaked her words to the point of dripping onto the floor, making a sad little puddle of disappointment. She spun on her heels, pink hair fanning out, and headed for the double doors.

As the clicking of her shoes echoed down the halls and disappeared, it told him she was gone. Finally, he looked up from the form that he had been diverting all his attention too like a madman. Her sultry voice and low cut shirt were driving him to the brink of insanity. It had been sometime ago that he had decided to stop his childish ways of constantly asking her out on dates and trying to get her to be his. With Sasuke back, he wanted to give her space. If she still wanted the newly returned ninja then, he loved her enough that he'd let her go. All that mattered to him was that she was happy. But it felt like as soon as he halted his advances she had started hers. That beauty of a woman was confusing the crap out of him.

Sakura slammed the door to her apartment, flung her shoes off in no particular direction and stomped into her small living room. She tried sitting on the couch and relaxing but her legs were restless and continued to move up and down of their own accord. Getting to her feet, she headed into her bedroom. She opened the curtains and got a good look at the full moon. She bathed in the light and drank in the delicious breeze that drifted in through the open window. A heavy sigh filled the room as she thought about how lovely it would be to go for a walk under it, hand in hand with Naruto. His big toothy grin plastered on his face, maybe a slight blush from the contact of their intertwined fingers, with his wild blond hair swaying with the wind's gentle caress. Her mind going back to her blond teammate fueled her annoyance with the dense man causing her hand to ball into a fist. She held back from punching anything, she didn't want to have to replace things.

Her mind kept wondering to what to do to get him to notice the signals she had been giving him. Without being able to pin down any kind of plan she began to worry she was too late and he had moved on. He'd been in love with her for so long that she never considered him giving up on her. The possibility of having lost his affections wasn't a thought she wanted to dwell on any more, so she decided to try to get some sleep. As she was pulling her shirt over her head, it got caught on something. Next thing she knew she lost her footing on some stray dirty pajamas that she had discarded there that morning and fell into her closet. A nice sized goose egg formed on the back of her head from it greeting the wall harshly. A string of curses flowed from her mouth as her arms got loose from the shirt binding her so she could rub the back of her tender head. A couple articles of barely there clothing fell from their hangers upon her impact with the wall of the closet, giving her a wicked idea.

Once again she got her feet under her and removed her outer clothing without any major incidents. Going to her underwear drawer she found the skimpiest and brightest red strapless bra and matching thong she owned. Discarding her work sports bra and boy short panties, she donned the lace, instantly feeling more like a woman than a successful combat medic. From the base of her wardrobe she retrieved the clothes that had spoken to her. The small black skirt hugged her hips and thighs with a fairly high slit. She pulled on her black pin stripped halter top camisole, then slipped on some red studded heels. Gifts from Ino over the years were finally getting some use. Looking out her window, a devious smile spread across her face. Even if she didn't have Naruto to take her out, she could still go find someone to have a good time with, checking herself in the full length mirror she smiled, she looked ready to go on the prowl.

At the bar Sasuke and Naruto were trading stories about the crazy women in their lives. The dark avenger turned Jonin of the Leaf was having a hard time with one of his new teammates. She was determined to prove that she was right all the time. All she did was show how annoying she could be. Naruto told him of all his trouble with Sakura turning a one eighty on him. He didn't know if he could restrain himself much longer. He'd almost taken her this evening on his desk.

"Speak of the devil," chuckled the dark haired man before taking another sip of his drink, "she's looking pretty tempting, somebody might sell their soul tonight."

Naruto followed his friend's dark line of sight, there was the source of his torture, dressed to kill. She floated across the room from the entrance to the bar to sit on one of the many empty stools there. The Hokage noticed all the male eyes, and even several of the female eyes, trained on her as she went. A small growl rumbled deep in his throat, she'd been the love of his life for years and he wasn't about to let someone else capture her.

The pink haired beauty ordered her drink from a tall dark and handsome bar tender. Carefully, to show off her good sides, she leaned on the bar scanning the room without her green eyes ever leaving the the bottles of liquor lined on the wall. Taking a mental note of every single male in the place, and which ones she would have the most fun flirting with. Beside her came a deep clearing of the throat noise. Turning to find a spiky tuft of white hair and a dark eye, her insides filled with smugness, he would do nicely without it going too far.

"Sensei, how nice to see you," she smiled genuinely, shifting so she was sitting having tempted a suitor to her side.

"You know you don't have to call me that anymore," he corrected, a small hint of pride in his voice.

"Old habits die hard," she shrugged, throwing back her first shot of the night, feeling it burn all the way down her, warming her body and making her brain a little fuzzy. She quickly ordered another from the good looking man who controlled the drinks.

"That's the smartest thing I've heard all night. Still trying to get the knuckled head to notice you?" his head slightly gesturing the Hokage's way, "didn't you girls take classes in seduction?" he questioned with a twinkle in his eye. She guessed it was his choice in literature that made him so insightful to her passes at the blond ninja. He'd also been out in the world a lot longer than the idiot she had been hitting on.

"I wasn't very good in that class," confessed the rosette starring down her newly filled cup.

"Well, I can teach you a few things if you like," she didn't protest so he leaned in close to her ear, "you know, us boys don't like it when we think someone else is going to play with our toys," he whispered then leaned back on his stool to study her reaction.

She sensed more than saw the devious smile under that mask of his. A small look of shock was on her face but she recovered with only a moment of hesitation. Tossing back her second cup, she found her courage at the bottom of the clear glass. He was impressed with how quickly she turned on her bedroom eyes as she edged closer to him, letting her small index finger play with his green vest.

"I am a fast learner, I'm sure there is still a few things you could teach me, Sensei," she purred, her jade eyes looking into his only uncovered one.

It was Kakashi's turn to be surprised, she had gone from the innocent girl he remembered teaching to a she-wolf right before his eye. It was hard to tell if it was lust or just her determination to never back down lighting in her. He ordered two more drinks for them that they tossed back with ease. He could sense a tremendous killing intent radiating from across the room in his direction. If the boy was smart, it wouldn't be long before he was over here. His block head of a student just needed another small shove to get his ass over here to get his girl. The sensei leaned in to whisper to the young lady again but this time he rested his rough hand on her thigh, not too high to make her uncomfortable but high enough, a signal that he had intentions of the physical kind.

"Maybe I'll be the one to learn something," a husky voice filled her ear.

Even after all these years she still hadn't seen what was under his mask. With a playful grin and a small blush, her gentle fingers reached for his mask, they curled around the hem of the article obstructing her view. That was the straw that broke the camel's back, Naruto was at the bar hand resting on his former teacher's shoulder, holding himself back from thrashing the man who taught him so much about the ways of a ninja and life in general. Sakura relinquished her chance to see underneath the blue material. Kakashi slowly removed his hand from his former student's thigh, letting his fingers glide along her creamy skin. The action did not go unnoticed by the male towering over him.

"Naruto, it's good to see all my students out tonight," came the seasoned ninja's voice from beneath the offending mask.

"You two seem to be having fun over here, why don't you join Sasuke and I. The others stood us up, so there is plenty of room at our table," offered the young Hokage, but it sounded more like an order to the veteran.

"I think I'll pass tonight, I see people over there closer to my age," with a little salute the older man was gone, leaving a tipsy pinkette alone with an angry blond.

"Going to join your teammates?" he asked, blue eyes staring intently down on her.

"I think I'll pass too," she smiled coyly picking up her cup and letting the liquid slide down her throat like an experienced drinker. She could see it in his eyes, behind the ocean blue there was still a small torch for her. Stoking the coals to rekindle the fire that once burned for her wasn't going to be easy. If she wasn't careful someone could get burned.

He didn't know what to do or what to say. She had been begging for his attention only hours ago, now she was dismissing him like she had when they were younger. It felt like a lifetime ago with how much they had been through together. It stung a little to watch her accept a drink from a man at the other end of the bar. She raised the glass to the man and slung it back. Naruto knew that man, he had a habit of using and loosing women. There was no way in hell he'd let a creep like that near his Sakura.

"I think you've had enough," he decided pulling her off her stool a little more forcefully than he intended. She was surprised by the action and fell into his torso. He cursed his green vest for being in between him and her.

"Maybe I have," she admitted, if he could yank her around like that she was sure she was already drunk. Pulling away from his body she started to move to the door but she saw Sasuke sitting at a table with an egotistical look only a Uchiha could possess. Before her escort could protest she detoured and fell next to the raven haired man with a drunk giggle, "I had to stop and say hi."

Sasuke looked like a cat ready to pounce on an unsuspecting mouse. An arm slipped around her and pulled her body flush with his, her breasts almost spilling out of her top by his sudden action.

"I'm so glad you did," he beamed, his free hand pushing some of her untamed hair out of her face.

"He called you the devil," Naruto stated bluntly as he sat across from the entangled couple.

A wolf like grin spread on her face, "the devil?" her eyebrows raising with her question.

"Yes, and I'm ready to make a deal if I get to keep you," teased her teammate, tightening his hold on her.

Her laughter rang out through the bar, she knew his game. It was all to rial up the man on the other side of the table and it was working by the scowl on his whiskered face.

"I think you sold your soul a long time ago," she jested, but it was still a low blow.

This time it was his mirth that filled the room. She had become a different woman from the girl he remembered. If she had been like this in their academy days, he might have been more interested. He wasn't into all the girls who threw themselves at his feet, now she was worth hunting. If his best friend wasn't in love with her he might have tried harder to bed her. But with Naruto boring holes into his skull, he couldn't make a real move on the temptress.

"Go home you lush," he taunted as he gently pushed the woman away.

She rolled her eyes and left the table, only stumbling once. The last two owners of the Sharingan nodded to each other from across the room as the Hokage took the head medic out of the bar. They weren't playing fair but this was love, like war, everything was fair.

Sakura was walking down the road that led home, strong drink affecting her ability to judge distance a little. But it was her shoes that became her greatest enemy of the night as they were causing her to falter in her strides, almost twisting her ankle.

"Let me help you," Naruto offered like a gentlemen.

"No, I picked these damn shoes and I'm going to get home without your help," she growled at him.

"Stop being stubborn," he lashed back grabbing her and trying to pick her up bridal style.

Somehow she blocked him and it ended up with them wrapped up in each other with her back pressed against the wall of a closed shop, his face inches from hers.

"You jack-ass," she snarled under her alcohol laced breath.

"You are the most bull headed, childish person I've ever met," he growled back.

"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" she snapped, her eyes avoiding his intense gaze.

"You want to play it that way?" he questioned snapping her attention to him with the pressure from his powerful hands on her lovely hip bones.

In the brightness of the goddess that watched over the night, the rosette could see every emotion written plainly on his handsome face. All she could hear was the beating of her heart and her heavy breaths. Her body didn't even notice the cold wall, all she could feel was his body locked against hers. Not knowing if it was the alcohol, the closeness of their bodies, or even the damn moon herself, but Sakura, the blossom medic of team seven, threw caution to the wind. She latched onto blond unruly locks forcing the owner forward to meet her lips to his. Not stopping there, she demanded he let her tongue invade the territory of his mouth. A satisfied groan sounded from the man being assaulted by the love of his life.

Two pairs of hands began to travel with no destination in mind, just enjoying the journey in unexplored lands. His body pressed into hers harder but his bulky vest was still keeping him from experiencing her chest against his. A strong surge of desire to rid everything that separated them coursed around his head. His moral compass wouldn't allow him to strip her on the road. He had too much respect for her to take advantage of her intoxicated state. His body cursed that decision as it was ready to be one with hers.

It took all his effort to break the passionate kiss. He swooped her off her feet before she could make a fuss and took to the roof tops to take her home. Through her open window, right into her bedroom was where he found himself without thinking of the consequences. Setting her on her feet, she knocked him off his onto her bed. He'd rarely seen her move that fast outside of battle. Straddling him, she worked swiftly to rid him of his bothersome vest. It was tossed somewhere in the moonlit room. His shirt soon followed the same general path.

A debate waged inside his head as his hands pulled her skimpy top over her head. Seeing the red clad breast up close he almost gave into his body's desire for her. His respect for her told him to stop, she was drunk. He'd wanted to be her lover for so long that a part of him didn't care, he'd have her any way he could get her. She wasn't allowing her brain to catch up with her actions. When his calloused hands took hold of her bra clasp sobriety hit her like a punch to the face. He was finally taking her serious. As the frilly garment fell to the floor time seemed to stop. No one moved as he was face to face with the torture tool she had been using on him for weeks. Tan lines showed where no one got to see, let alone touch.

His massive arms wrapped around her small frame, finally feeling what he had been longing for all night. Her bare chest pressed to his in an intimate embrace. The body heat that radiated from the man was almost too much. He made her mind as fuzzy as the alcohol. He was her own personal drug and if she ever found something that made her feel the way she did now in his arms, she knew she'd be hooked. When he started to kiss her graceful neck she wondered if her heart would burst from bliss. Her nails combed through his untamed hair, pulling his mouth to hers. He tasted the strong drink that lingered there, reminding him of her state of mind and that he had to be the responsible one.

Leaving his hair her hands worked their way down to his pants, feeling every chiseled muscle along the way, without a second thought, she had them unbuttoned and zipped down. The excited man knew if he didn't get out now, he never would. She had been chipping away at his resolve since she walked into the bar. It was ready to crumble at any moment. With his last ounce of will power he flipped her on to her back and hovered over her.

"I can't do this tonight," he mumbled, lips pressed to hers as he captured her wondering hands, "I'll see you tomorrow," he took a deep breath of her delicious scent then pushed himself away.

Sakura was stunned with disbelief, she had him right where she wanted him and now he was leaving. In the moon light, his body took on a heavenly quality, vexing her longing loins. He found his undershirt and began to turn it right side out.

"If you leave now, I'm never speaking to you again," she threatened. The instant the words left her lips, she regretted them. Part of her knew it would be impossible to follow through with such a statement but she was hurt and confused by his actions. She knew she was being childish and unfair but he was breaking her heart.

"Sakura," Naruto sighed, raking his hand through his hair in frustration.

His temptress kicked off her shoes and shimmied out of her skirt, tossing it to the floor passed him. She got under the covers and patted the vacant space next to her. Defeat riddled his bones, soaking down to the very marrow, as he thought of never being able to converse with her again. He was unsure if she would remember the threat in the morning and he didn't want to test her memory. He captured her on the bed, kissing her passionately. She returned his affection with equal ferocity thinking she had won.

He broke away, resting his forehead to hers, "I'd rather have you hate me, than hate yourself in the morning."

Again he tried to leave but she captured him before he could get off the bed. Her breast against his bare back, arms wrapped over his shoulders, she kept him sitting on the bed.

"You don't have to make love to me if you don't want to, I just need you to stay the night," she whispered, sounding so vulnerable.

"Alright," he consented, something in her tone spoke to him, he had countless nights where he didn't want to be alone. Tonight he would protect her from the monster known as loneliness.

Together they slipped under the covers as the bed groaned in protest on the weight. Her smaller form snuggled into his strong arms like she belonged there and was fast asleep before him. His mind was a storm of confusion. He tried to do the right thing and leave but he wasn't strong enough to walk away from her, not when she needed him.

The next morning the sun shining brightly through the open window woke him. Sakura, stirred and got up, wrapping the sheet around her almost naked body to close the curtains. Naruto swung his legs over the bed and sat up. He took it as a good sign that she wasn't screaming and yelling at him yet.

"Sakura, about last night," Naruto began, he had a compulsive desire to apologize even if he wasn't sure he did anything wrong.

"Naruto," she cut him off, one hand clutching the sheet around her and the other the curtain, "you can blame it on the alcohol, or the moon for all I care," she mused, turning to face him. His heart broke a little, he wanted things to change between them but not for the worse. He nodded his understanding, scanning the room for his clothes. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her approach him. "But this morning, you don't have the luxury of such scapegoats," she purred climbing into his lap, letting the sheet fall away. She captured his mouth with her own, letting her fingers tangle into his hair. Warm hands fell on her sides, letting them run over the surface of her skin.

Deciding he wouldn't hold back on her any longer, they were both sober consenting adults, he shoved his moral compass in a box and threw it to the back of his mind. His blood rocketed to the important parts of his body. He figured she was what it felt like to touch heaven, the way she evoked desires in him. His pants were still undone from the night before making it easy to twist her hand under the waistband of his boxers, finding his stiff member ready for her stroking. He growled low as she took hold of him. Since they were doing this, he was going to do it right, he flipped her onto her back, removed every stitch of remaining clothing so she could see what she was getting herself into. Her brows raised but she wasn't the type to back down from a challenge any more.

They recaptured each other in a naked embrace, a tangled mess of limbs and tongues. His rough hands against her smooth skin sent tingles of pleasure through her body. The scent of alcohol was gone from her, leaving only her natural aroma he had learned from countless hours of training and missions together. Their hungry flurry of kisses fed off of the others passion. Her hands tried to find a place to rest but it was impossible to find a favorite spot on his perfect body. Nails raked across his skin as his thumbs rubbed over her raised sensitive peaks of her ample bosom. A hot breath fanned over one, sending a delicious shiver down her spin, adding to the already growing need.

His hands moved down and filled themselves with her shapely thighs, she opened them, inviting him in. Her every breath, every moan, ever action was encouraging him forward but in the back of his mind there was a lingering hesitation. A part of him felt he didn't deserve to be with her. There was a different nagging in the back of his skull that said this was too good to be true.

Impatience got the better of her, the ache in her was becoming unbearable, her legs nudged him forward to the destination she sought. His tip teased at the entrance to a place he'd only been to in his wettest of dreams.

"Naruto, please," she begged, the need evident in her voice.

Hiding was no longer an option, everything in her needed him. If he did not aid her now, she was sure part of her would die. Never being one to refuse her, his hands took hold of her hips, trying to calm the radical rate of his heart and doubts in his turbulent mind, his blue eyes glanced at hers only to be trapped by what he saw there. A longing lust was all he saw the night before but now there was a deeper emotion, a fearless gaze waiting for him to complete what they had started. He wasn't sure of where the starting line was, but now the race was coming to a close.

Uncertainties vanished from the storm in his eyes, clearing to a peaceful blue as he pushed forward. He was a gentle lover, just like she expected, waiting for her to breath right again before he continued to milk the pleasure from her core with every pump of his strong hips. It was strange at first, to feel complete after years of knowing part of you was missing but never understanding it was another person who made you whole. His strokes increased with demanding speed, she wrapped around him perfectly, hugging his member the way only a lover is permitted. Turning from gentle to aggressive as he found his rhythm, enjoying the change, she rewarded him with sounds of bliss coating his name.

Her head slammed back into the cloud like pillow as he hit a patch of flesh she didn't know had such power over her being that it could send her flying towards the brink of pleasure so profound it border lined pain. Silent gasps filled her throat as the lines blurred further as he struck it again, leaving her a pleasured, clawing mess. Unable to think about anything other than the release that crashed down upon her like the ocean's waves on the jagged rocks, the spray breaking into crystal drops flying skyward like the pieces of her mind.

This professional medic, who was always so composed, to watch her completely unravel because of him made the man swell even more. His body did as he felt her body beckon, another hard, life changing thrust had him spilling all of himself into her. For a precious moment they were one. His arms gave way and he collapsed on top of her, making it difficult to reclaim the breath her lungs were desperately seeking. Nothing had ever felt as strange as his once hard penis softening and slipping out of her now deflowered cavern. She felt childish as tears pricked at the edges of her eyes, she tried to will them away but just then he moved to look at her. They slipped silently down to her pillow top, his face showed the little droplets of salty liquid shook him. He never meant to hurt her, he never wanted that, whether it be her body or her fragile heart, he never wanted to see her cry.

He began to apologize and retreat only to have her shush him and pull him back to her. Despite the sweat, she longed to feel his skin against hers. Locking arms and legs around his body, she trapped him to her in a flesh cage he'd happily stay in for the rest of his life. This woman had lost something that morning, her only remaining form of innocence, but she had gained so much more. Laughing at herself she pulled him into a loving kiss.

They had finished one race to the glorious, panting, passionate end. As she pushed sweat laced blond locks off his forehead, she wondered where the next stretch of their lives would lead. His deep blue pools offered adventure and love, with no empty promises lingering there saying that it would be effortless. Naruto was never the one to take the easy road. That's why he was Hokage and that was why he loved her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Divorce**

The door to his office slammed so hard it cracked all the way in two, sending the part not attached at the hinges to the floor. Naruto couldn't help but sigh loudly as he looked at the paper before him. Where she had signed her name on the dotted line didn't even resemble her normal signature, proving it could get worse. That good woman had every right to be angry with him now. With a heavy heart he signed his name on the dotted space.

"Don't ever tell her," Naruto commanded his friend.

"You already know how I feel about this," replied the dark haired man leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.

_Two years later..._

Naruto was walking with his gloomy friend down an almost deserted street, the sky above was cloudy, blocking out the stars and the sliver of the moon. They made their way down the quiet walkways, not feeling any urges to converse with each other. Sasuke moved towards the door of his favorite watering hole, not asking if Naruto wanted to stop or not. The blond followed him without thought, perching themselves on the tall stools, ordering their usual night caps. He noticed his ravened haired friend staring intently at something across the bar. The Hokage was about to ask if there was a woman who finally caught the man's eye but the person who stole his attention was none other than the woman who owned all of Naruto.

Her green eyes were bright as her hands were animated explaining something to the man sitting across from her at the booth. Sakura laughed shaking her pink short locks back and forth, saying something lively to her companion. A dark familiar scowl fell on her features at his comment. Naruto grimaced remembering how he use to evoke that look from her all the time. His heart longed to walk over to that table and interrupt whatever they were discussing. It hurt to watch her be with him, he took some solace in the fact she wasn't with Sasuke, though it didn't help much.

"Let's go," ordered the Uchiha, taking his drink and moving to their table. Being a devious person he sat down by the man across from her, Sai did not protest the intrusion, welcoming his friends with his normal smile.

Naruto sat down beside the pink haired woman, careful not to let his body touch hers, no matter how much he would like to and pretend it was an innocent accident.

"Sai was telling me the other day how much you love Konohamaru's version of us. If we take off our shirts and start rubbing on each other will you get a nosebleed?" Sasuke asked the woman sounding very serious.

Sakura put her elbows on the table and leaned forward resting her chin on her small hands, "why don't you give it a try, be sure to nibble on each others necks and moan nice and loud for me," she replied, mirroring him in all his seriousness.

Sai started to unbutton his dark shirt, he got two buttons undone before he saw the annoyed looks from the couple across from him. Realizing he had missed the joke he stopped his actions but left the buttons open. It was hard for him to tell when Sasuke was kidding because to Sai, he always sounded the same, the other dark haired man's sarcasm was also lost on the ink user.

Sakura kept her focus on the good looking men across from her, if she looked at the blond it would only serve to remind her of the failures in her personal life.

"Don't you two have a mission in the morning? Isn't it getting late?" reminded Sasuke as he took a gulp of his drink.

Sakura checked the time, it was later than she expected, "I guess time flies when you're having fun," she noted, being brave she turned to the man beside her, "excuse me," her voice changed cold as she addressed the Hokage.

He scooted out allowing her to pass, but as her head moved close under his nose, it gave him a good whiff of her unique scent, almost delivering him to his knees with memories of her hair in his face, her naked body tangled with his, and sounds of her pleas for more of him.

"Do you want me to come over?" Sai asked her before she could leave.

"Not tonight, I'll see you in the morning," she smiled her infuriatingly fake smile at the men still sitting, with a small wave she was gone.

Anger filled Naruto to the brim, he had no right, this was his choice but the green eyed monster of jealousy slashed at his heart, engulfing it in its giant yellow claws, and he followed after her.

"This is going to be good," Sasuke said with one of his rare smirks.

Once outside Naruto grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Confusion filled her face as she looked at him, waiting for him to speak first.

"What's your relationship with him?" he demanded, trying not to shake her, his hand tightened uncomfortably on her upper body.

Anger replaced her confusion, she could tell him they were just friends, she could tell him that she and Sai were simply lonely but everything between them was innocent. She could inform him that all the words the artist used to describe her were strong, independent and brash. That they didn't find each other attractive. Voicing to him that when Sai came over he spent the night on her couch just because they found it comforting to have someone else in the house. It would be easy but he didn't deserve her words, her comfort to his bruised ego.

"We're divorced, I don't have to tell you shit about my relationships anymore," she growled, pure malice filled her voice as she slapped his hand away from her.

"I'm still your Hokage and if I think its putting you in danger than I have every right to know," he snapped back.

Her glare could melt through the strongest metal as she spoke, "our relationship does not put us in danger, in fact, it has saved my life a number of times. I like knowing that when things get tough he won't abandon me."

It stung, like a kunai in his heart placed there by his own clumsy hands but her slender fingers were the ones slowly twisting it.

"Sakura," his tone warning.

Her hand might as well grabbed the imaginary hilt and slam it deeper with her next words, "at least one man knows how to be gentle with me."

She turned, anger and hurt filling the cracks in her heart, walking away like he had done years ago but a strong hand stopped her, looking up into dark eyes instead of blue, she was slightly surprised to find Sasuke standing there. No read on what he could possibly be thinking in that devilish head of his.

He leaned in close, "one kiss would shatter his world," he whispered low into her ear.

It took a moment to decipher his meaning, her teammate being one to always say one thing and mean another. She stormed back up to the Hokage, he watched as her hand came flying at him. He closed his eyes preparing for a slap, which he knew he deserved, but her hand caught his collar and pulled his face level with hers.

"I hate you," she snarled as her lips locked with his, it was quick and forceful, penetrating both their hearts with a reminder of what they once shared.

Shock clogged his veins, his limbs froze, his brain stopped working and all he could do was stand there like an idiot long after she was gone. Sasuke nodded in approval, the idiot of a Hokage deserved that after all he had put that woman through. Naruto's intentions may have been noble, but she had earned better than that, she was worthy of the truth.

Her words burned along the nerves in Naruto's brain, they suffocated him, and made him feel utterly helpless. There was a madness in the blue sky around his irises as they set on Sasuke. His friend had kept his words all this time but that did not stop the avenger from sticking his nose where Naruto thought it didn't belong.

"What did you say to her?" he rasped out.

"One kiss would shatter his world," he repeated, "but I was hoping she'd kiss me, just to watch you fall apart," he taunted, gauging the Hokage's response.

Naruto felt his muscles tense, just the thought of her kissing his friend killed him but before he could make a move realization punched him in the gut. She kissed him, not Sasuke or the artist who had been behind him the whole time.

"Sai," he called, eyes still on his rival.

"You gave me a mission two years ago, I've protected her from everything I can, but what hurts her the most I can not cure, stop, or even predict how it will make her behave," Sai reported solemnly.

Naruto already knew it was his fault the pair spent so much time together but that knowledge didn't dull the pain. More than two years ago a threat came down on her life and if Naruto didn't end things with the woman he loved, they would end her life. Sasuke had stressed that they could protect her no matter what and the Hokage did not have to give into demands by some unknown party. But Naruto would not listen or risk her no matter what. He'd done the hardest thing he knew he would ever do in his life, he lied to his wife, his world, and told her he didn't love her anymore and pushed her away.

After the divorce was finalized, nobles poured in, trying to convince the Hokage to marry one of their daughters. Naruto never accepted any of them. Only one woman held his heart, every piece he had broken himself, was there in her hands. He moved, something demanding him to find her. Finding himself standing in her window, she was undressing, only one dim lamp lighting the room. A dark figure sneaking up behind her, Naruto had a kunai to his throat before the intruder could react.

Sakura, only in her panties and holding her discarded shirt to cover her breast, turned to find her ex-husband holding a masked man hostage. She snatched the mask from his face, wild steel grey eyes flashed at her with intent to kill.

"Who sent you?" she asked.

"There will be more, until we succeed, breaking up with her didn't seem to help, they said she needs to be gone with the way you cling to her," his evil laugh filled the small room.

ANBU filled the room, Sakura knocked the man unconscious with a medical move, making it easier for her comrades to take him in for questioning. Naruto noticed how she didn't even flinch when the room filled with people even though she was less than dressed.

"Sakura, I can," he was interrupted by the hit he had expected earlier, a small fist to his masculine jaw.

She maybe much smaller than him but she could still ring his bell. He shook his head trying to reorganize his brain but her standing there in her dark underwear, hands balled into fists at her hips, and no shirt or bra made it almost impossible to reform his thoughts, his justifications for what he put her through.

"Did you think I didn't know? I'm not stupid Naruto!" she yelled.

Still staring at her breast he longed to touch, he formed one word, "how?"

"Do you know why Sai stays over?" she paused, seeing if he was dumb enough to answer, "I'd rather he be warm on my couch than sitting outside my windows freezing the night away, since my ex-husband has a guard detail on me every hour of the day, he might as well be comfortable," she snarled.

Naruto longed to convey his true emotions but his throat had gone dry. Pain filled his eyes as suicidal tears tipped on the rims, threatening to jump down his cheeks to their demise. Her earlier words played in his mind again.

"I'm sorry, I don't blame you for hating me," he whispered.

Arms crossed over her bare chest, a huge sigh sounded from the tiny woman, "idiot."

He nodded, he agreed, when it came to her, he was a moron. A smooth leg swept out at him but he caught her limb, the soft flesh under his hand brought back tortuous memories of how it felt to have them wrapped around him. He grabbed her other thigh pulling it up to his hip, she had to grab his neck so she wouldn't fall backwards. Not that it stopped her as he smashed her on the small bed. His mouth melding with hers, hands keeping her legs around him as he push his body to hers.

He had no right to lay claim to her now, but it didn't stop him from trying. He'd known her curves well when they were together, his hands rummaged around her flesh trying to see if two years had changed it from the memory he clung to. The only thing he found noticeable was her hair, she had cut it as short as the time in the Forest of Death, she never told him the reason but Sai had said it was because she was focusing on being a ninja instead of her love life.

Out of no where, Naruto was struck by her dainty fist, he looked to see tears flooding down her face, "you don't get to come in here and act like this. Nothing you did merits this," she sniffled, trying to sound resolved.

"I never stopped loving you," he confessed, untangling himself from her, she just lay there staring at the ceiling, not bothering to hide herself from him as he towered over her.

Once he was gone she rolled over and cried into her pillow until the comfort of sleep washed over her. The next morning she did her duty and headed out on her mission. Naruto watched her backside as she and her companion set out. He knew she would complete her mission, she had made a name for herself in ANBU. His mind a storm of dark thoughts as she left.

"Did you two work anything out last night?" questioned the dark avenger from a shadowy corner.

"Yeah, she hates me," answered the blond man.

"I don't blame her, if she did," responded the Uchiha.

"You heard her, when she kissed me," Naruto lamented, her kiss still lingering on his lips.

"Cause you always kiss the ones you hate," Sasuke agreed with only mild sarcasm.

Naruto knew when he decided to divorce his childhood love that there was a large possibility of her not taking him back when things were sorted out. It was a risk he was willing to take at the time, now regrets plagued his body like a disease. Their love story was tragic because he let fear write the latest chapter. If he could go back in time, he'd keep her close to him, never let her leave his side. He'd make love to her every night, he'd let her win more arguments, and he'd make sure she was protected, loved, cherished, and knew they were after her so she could fight the demons with him, instead of spending the last two years alone with only her safety to comfort him.

Thoughts of her were a pale painful thing compared to what he had in the past. When she was his, he had finally found the true meaning of love. It was a different bond then he had formed with his rival or his teachers. It was emotional, physical, and awe inspiring, along with a lot of difficulties. Their first year together they almost killed each other, a small laugh sounded from him as he thought of the first fight. It was stupid, it was over who had to do the dishes. It ended with lovemaking on the couch.

His day passed with him staring at the wall, he didn't manage to put a dent in any of his work as his thoughts were consumed by a pink haired vixen. It was dark in his office before he came to the conclusion he should just go home. But a body moved in front of him, a small female figure dropped a scroll on the desk.

"His head is in there," she spoke cold words.

Naruto nodded, another mission complete for her and Sai. He moved the scroll to the pile to deal with tomorrow. Tonight being Hokage didn't matter, right now all he felt like was a man, a broken husk of a man. He moved around the desk to stand before her. She didn't move, and if she flinched her ANBU mask hid it. The fox mask was one she picked when they were still together and she hadn't changed it. A finger traced over the markings on it, lost to his memories, he just stood there.

Breaking the silence he breathed, "you don't have to forgive me, but can you give me one more night of feeling alive?"

"Here?" she questioned, a little put off by something so cheap as to have his subordinate under him in his place of power.

"No," he whispered, taking hold of her and transporting them to their room, in the house they once shared, "I haven't been in here since you moved out."

He had taken to sleeping on the couch, rather than feel the emptiness on her side of their bed. Gently, he moved her mask up, her face so beautiful beneath it, with her green eyes studying him. Without hurrying, he unsnapped the different parts of her ANBU uniform. Black and silver littered his floor as he came to blue lace underwear, the same color as his eyes. Wondering if she knew she did that or if it had been a subconscious choice. Still she hadn't moved without his help besides her ever watchful eyes. He bent to kiss her neck down to her shoulders. If he had been watching her face, he would have seen the pain flutter across it by the nostalgic action of his warm mouth.

Her first movement on her own was to lace her fingers into his hair, pulling his mouth to hers. She couldn't bring herself to say the words weighing on her mind yet. Slender hands moved expertly down, pushing his white coat with red flames at the bottom off his broad shoulders. She unzipped the black and orange jacket, sending it to the floor as well. His fish net ninja shirt was snugly close to his firm chest. Her lips pulled away from his, her eyes traced her hands as they moved down to the hem. He aided her in pulling it off over his head. Tugging at his belt, it didn't take her long to send his pants to the the place the rest of their clothing was, leaving him in his boxers. He pulled her to the bed, sitting down and scooting back he set her on top of him, she'd always liked being on top. But this was his deal, his request, so gripping his shoulders she reversed their positions.

His hands went behind her back, unsnapping the lace contraption holding her perky breast. Rough hands groped the newly freed orbs of flesh with their dark centers raising to the caress of the night air and his contrasting warmth. He lingered for a moment, but he wanted what had been occupying his mind for months. He slid his hands down, never breaking contact with her skin until his hands found the frail lace. It would be easy to take them down her long legs, but he was tired of her controlled face, he ripped them to sheds with without a second thought, watching her eyes the entire time.

She shot up grabbing the hair at the back of his head, snapping his head back, her blade at his throat.

"Son of bitch! Naruto, that was my favorite pair," she yelled in his ear, his knowing chuckle pissed her off further, "you owe me."

Her blade was replaced by her teeth, biting into his neck, hard enough to bruise but not break the skin. He growled, pulling her closer, a hand in her messy short locks, tangling and pulling her back down to the bed, attacking her senses with his assault on her body with his other hand. To get even, her hands tore his boxers from his body. He scowled into her lips as he heard the ripping noise but he was thrilled.

"We even?" he teased, nipping down her neck.

"Not even close," she warned, raising her hips to his his thumb teasing her womanhood.

On instinct he pushed harder against her, a massive wall of flesh boring down on her as he spread her wide. Right or wrong, it didn't matter, marriage, divorce, they were just pieces of paper with words. They didn't dictate how he felt about her. Sakura wasn't the type to give into him unless she wanted to. She'd proved that over and over since the day he met her.

His aching manhood plunged into her slick walls, welcoming him home with her pleasure coating him. He bent her to his will, dragging moans and whimpers from her as he repeated the action. Making sure to hit all her favorite spots, between his hand on her pleasure button, his hot mouth taking turns suckling her nipples, and the throbbing member diving deep into her only to come back to do it over and over, her mind was having a difficult time remembering why she should be angry with him. She had every right to be upset with him, he'd done her wrong. Not believing in her enough to face the problem head on. He'd never backed down in his life until it came to someone trying to kill her.

Nails broke his skin as she ripped at the tender flesh over his ribs. He was the only man she'd ever been with, and feeling him breaking into her soul again felt invasive and exhilarating. She had survived him sending her away last time by living on her anger until Sasuke let her overhear what was truly going on. Being driven further by an overwhelming rage, she gathered her wild pink mane that her ex-husband had loved to bury his face in and sliced it off with her ANBU blade. Vowing on the fallen tresses that she would find those who broke them apart and make them feel the pain of her heart. With her and Sai closing in on them they were sending more assassins as of late.

Grunts from the man on top of her lured her out of her thoughts, remembering that she was again in the arms of the man she loved despite his grand acts of stupidity. This was another one of those times, breaking into her heart like a thief in the night, touching her, loving her, making her remember what he took from her. She was so close to her release that it hurt, she cried out feeling him release with her. Even in their days as a married couple they hadn't managed that. He slipped under the disturbed covers keeping her next to him. He just needed her for a moment, then she could go back to reality where she hated him.

Sleep taunted her eyelids as she moved to be more comfortable, slightly on top of the man next to her. Her body clung to him as a warm hand ran across her skin, she still felt the affects of their intimate coupling deep in her core. Naruto wasn't about to send her away, back to her apartment but it nagged at him a bit that she seemed content in his arms. He shouldn't complain but after two years of being without her, then her saying she hated him, he didn't know what was there and what he was trying to put in between the lines.

"Sakura," he spoke quietly.

"Shut up," she replied, feeling he was going to ruin the moment.

"You staying?" he questioned, ready for her to smack him for not listening to her.

"The safest place for me is in the arms of the most powerful ninja in the village and don't worry, you're safe in my arms," she said, her words drowsy with the sleep approaching her.

He laughed at himself as a tear slipped down his cheek into her hair. He was so foolish, what he wouldn't give to change all the things he'd done wrong with her. At least the time without her had taught him to appreciate her more. She was safe in his arms, he'd destroy anyone who came after her and he'd end himself before hurting her again.


End file.
